Goddess Hilda Solis

Fashionista Activista

Welcome to the season two premiere of the Fashionista Activista Podcast, where style meets activism! I’m your host, Diana Diaz. In each episode, we’ll explore the inspiring journeys of women business owners in Los Angeles, with a special focus on women of color. Join us as we celebrate the power, diversity, and creativity of underrepresented Latin women, youth, and queer communities through engaging conversations and high-quality content.
Our first guest of season two is Supervisor Hilda Solis, an American politician and Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors member for the 1st District. She served as the 25th United States Secretary of Labor from 2009 to 2013 under President Obama. A member of the Democratic Party, Solis represented California's 31st and 32nd congressional districts in the United States House of Representatives from 2001 to 2009, which include East Los Angeles and the San Gabriel Valley.
In the episode, Hilda Solis discusses her appreciation for The Goddess Mercado in East Los Angeles. She shares stories about attending Sunday mass with her family and reflects on her father's love for the outdoors. Hilda also talks about her siblings and husband, emphasizing their strong bond. As the third oldest of seven siblings (four sisters and two brothers), Hilda grew up in a tract home in La Puente, California. She shares her unique experiences as a Latina running for office and some of the challenges she faced along the way.
Solis was raised in La Puente, California, by immigrant parents from Nicaragua and Mexico. She earned degrees from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, and the University of Southern California and worked for two federal agencies in Washington, D.C. After returning to her home state, she was elected to the Rio Hondo Community College Board of Trustees in 1985, the California State Assembly in 1992, and the California State Senate in 1994. Solis was the first Hispanic woman to serve in the State Senate and was reelected in 1998. She actively sought to pass environmental justice legislation and was the first female recipient of the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in 2000.
The Fashionista Activista Podcast is a product of The Goddess Mercado, sponsored by New Economics for Women, SoCalGas, and Kaiser Permanente, and produced by mejia.tv

Goddess Mercado Theme Song
Musical performance: Cello Azul, MariaChingona, Dane Real
Composers: Hector Jose Ortiz, Danellia Arechiga, Rachael Rodriguez